“Personally I think he must be mad. Why oh why would anyone want to come to Charlton under this toxic regime. They have seen whats going on at our club and the reasons why we are in such a poor postion. The 'customers' complaining and an interfering owner with a CEO that lies. Whoever comes in needs the same treatment as Roland and the liar”

It was insinuated that these comments, buried on the second page of a thread on an online fan’s forum that attracts over 1,000 posts a day (and where posts largely register in the blink of an eye), was along with a statement from CARD, the reason that Chris Wilder changed his mind about joining Charlton.

Regardless of whether you actually believe these comments were the reason an alleged web-surfing Wilder chose Sheffield United, instead of the fact the Blades are the hometown club he supported as a boy. Or that it was said that everyone he spoke to in football allegedly, strongly advised him to avoid Charlton. Or the suggestion from sources close to him that his insistence of written guarantee of player recruitment control was not forthcoming. This comment on our forum was highlighted by Duchâtelet on national radio as the reason.

However, what Jim White read out was not quite what it seemed.

It was in fact two separate comments by two separate individuals, with the “personally I think he is mad” a snippet from a post from someone who was actually welcoming Wilder!! “you may be mad Chris, but if you’re coming I’m glad” was part of the very same post.

This is just one of an extremely long list of examples of why there has been, currently is and always will be zero trust for anything that emanates from this regime.

Duchatelet seems to be completely fixated on the idea that the reason his Charlton experiment has failed is because of his own employees (communications team) and the supporters. He sought to use this quote as an example of how the supporters were working against the club’s best interests.

Selectively choosing quotes from social media is always very weak ground as a point-proving exercise, but let’s just remind ourselves what this is; An Internet forum is an online discussion vehicle, allowing users to share and debate a variety of views with other users.

I stress VARIETY, because what Roland failed to share when trying to prove to Jim the depth of unrest surrounding Wilder’s potential appointment were any of the other posts from that same thread. So I’ll (accurately) quote numerous other posts from that very thread:

“He'll be the first manager to have my support since CP - at least he is not in any way previously connected to them”

——

“We've been accusing the regime of not learning lessons. If Wilder gets appointed I think they might have learned at least one. He'll get my full support. “

——

“I will support the Manager. Whatever happens, the Manager is not the problem”

——

“Good luck to him and I hope him and Charlton are very successful. I won't hold my breath though.”

——

Let’s be clear, there was no movement in existence seeking to work against Wilder, a welcomed potential appointment to many after a run of managerial disasters.

Why Duchâtelet would seek to use that as an example of why things are not his fault is anyone’s guess. He undoubtedly seems to have convinced himself its everyone else’s fault and who knows, he may well even have put some doubt in Jim White’s mind.

But Charlton supporters, who have seen their beloved club suffer through this unmitigated disaster period and the spin and excuses that have accompanied it, they know the truth. And I think the vast majority of the wider football community know it as well.

Jim White is convinced Duchâtelet really wants to sell and the end is imminent. Charlton supporters have been actively told this for 18 months now and the end feels no closer now than it did then.

So we won’t hold our breath just yet Jim. Because it has long been clear that what is best for our once proud community football club never has been and never will be the priority of its current owner.

What I find interesting is that even back in May, when members of ROT talked with Duchâtelet, he said that Wilder didn't come because he felt threatened by posts on this forum. He claimed then that he had texts (I take it he meant printed copies of the posts in question), to prove his claim, - see below.

He's been sitting on this idea then for at least six months, so it begs the question as to who's idea it was to cut & shut, and when it was first considered. The work of Rubbershoe or RD?

Excerpt from discussion 18th May 2018:

b>ROT 3 Russell Slade?

ROT 2 No, no, here

RD No no no no, the one who is, he went to Sheffield United huh

ROT 1 Oh, Chris Wilder

ROT 2 Ah, Chris Wilder yeah

RD And his associate. In fact we found him, I did fly him into Belgium. He signed with Charlton, and then there were rumours about him coming, and also on the website Charlton er….. Charlton Life huh

ROT 2 Yeah

RD There were also some people saying well if he comes we will er, force him out and so forth, and he didn’t come. He just said ok……

ROT 1 No I don’t think anyone said they would force him out, I think there was speculation……

RD No no no

ROT 1 No I……

RD I can give you some texts

ROT 1 I’d be interested to see that about forcing him out

ROT 2 Yeah

RD I can give you some texts which exactly say, come and we will, we will… er don’t and they really said don’t come to Charlton. Then he er….

ROT 1 There was speculation about him not having control of signings, and, and this was why in the end he didn’t, in the end he didn’t......

RD No that was not the reality

ROT 1 But that was the speculation, whether it was reality or not

RD The reality is that he didn’t dare because of these fans who were against me huh. And he of course as a manager, I’m his boss huh, and he was afraid that this was, and you see where he is now

ROT 3 He felt threatened did he?

RD He felt threatened sure. So if you er… Karel Fraeye when he was there huh. He was threatened also by the fans, sure he was huh

ROT 3 What, face to face?

RD Yeah sure, yeah, yeah

ROT 4 Yeah but I mean, there was a guy who was totally out of his depth, he should never have been put in place as manager

RD That’s another discussion huh, but I can tell you, and also…..

ROT 1 It’s true (that Fraeye was out of his depth)

RD Riga also he was very scared huh by the whole situation

ROT 1 He was very well received by the fans and appreciated by the fans

ROT 2 We liked Riga

ROT 3 Yeah

RD Yeah but the second time he was scared by the situation, was very, very cautious to what he would say and what he would not say and was very scared to say anything good about me huh, and so forth huh

ROT 2 Right

RD That’s the reality, also the players huh, they were also, they said this is a very, very bad thing ok

ROT 3 I’d hate to think some players felt threatened

ROT 2 Did some players want to leave the club?

RD No but they, they er, if you have to play under such circumstances huh, you, how can you manage this in your head huh, that you have to play while your fans are against you, are putting balls on the pitch

ROT 4 But it wasn’t against the players, it was against you

RD Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, and they all understood that huh

ROT 4 The players are professionals

RD Well that’s typical English thinking. No they are not professionals, they are young boys without education, well a little bit of education and little intelligence, and that’s the problem. The problem is that you guys thought huh, that they would understand that, no they don’t understand. This is very difficult rational thinking for them, they wouldn’t understand

Oh my god... he is the personality type that will literally do anything to not accept responsibility, anything!

We will win this but not for several years... he will not leave... he simply won't

Buuuttt the one silver lining is because we have gone though literal hell with this guy, once he does leave the unity will be contagious and we will have the best chance, if the new owners have some money to spend, to drive forward, united, as a club... that will be his parting gift...

What I find interesting is that even back in May, when members of ROT talked with Duchâtelet, he said that Wilder didn't come because he felt threatened by posts on this forum. He claimed then that he had texts (I take it he meant printed copies of the posts in question), to prove his claim, - see below.

He's been sitting on this idea then for at least six months, so it begs the question as to who's idea it was to cut & shut, and when it was first considered. The work of Rubbershoe or RD?

Excerpt from discussion 18th May 2018:

b>ROT 3 Russell Slade?

ROT 2 No, no, here

RD No no no no, the one who is, he went to Sheffield United huh

ROT 1 Oh, Chris Wilder

ROT 2 Ah, Chris Wilder yeah

RD And his associate. In fact we found him, I did fly him into Belgium. He signed with Charlton, and then there were rumours about him coming, and also on the website Charlton er….. Charlton Life huh

ROT 2 Yeah

RD There were also some people saying well if he comes we will er, force him out and so forth, and he didn’t come. He just said ok……

ROT 1 No I don’t think anyone said they would force him out, I think there was speculation……

RD No no no

ROT 1 No I……

RD I can give you some texts

ROT 1 I’d be interested to see that about forcing him out

ROT 2 Yeah

RD I can give you some texts which exactly say, come and we will, we will… er don’t and they really said don’t come to Charlton. Then he er….

ROT 1 There was speculation about him not having control of signings, and, and this was why in the end he didn’t, in the end he didn’t......

RD No that was not the reality

ROT 1 But that was the speculation, whether it was reality or not

RD The reality is that he didn’t dare because of these fans who were against me huh. And he of course as a manager, I’m his boss huh, and he was afraid that this was, and you see where he is now

ROT 3 He felt threatened did he?

RD He felt threatened sure. So if you er… Karel Fraeye when he was there huh. He was threatened also by the fans, sure he was huh

ROT 3 What, face to face?

RD Yeah sure, yeah, yeah

ROT 4 Yeah but I mean, there was a guy who was totally out of his depth, he should never have been put in place as manager

RD That’s another discussion huh, but I can tell you, and also…..

ROT 1 It’s true (that Fraeye was out of his depth)

RD Riga also he was very scared huh by the whole situation

ROT 1 He was very well received by the fans and appreciated by the fans

ROT 2 We liked Riga

ROT 3 Yeah

RD Yeah but the second time he was scared by the situation, was very, very cautious to what he would say and what he would not say and was very scared to say anything good about me huh, and so forth huh

ROT 2 Right

RD That’s the reality, also the players huh, they were also, they said this is a very, very bad thing ok

ROT 3 I’d hate to think some players felt threatened

ROT 2 Did some players want to leave the club?

RD No but they, they er, if you have to play under such circumstances huh, you, how can you manage this in your head huh, that you have to play while your fans are against you, are putting balls on the pitch

ROT 4 But it wasn’t against the players, it was against you

RD Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, and they all understood that huh

ROT 4 The players are professionals

RD Well that’s typical English thinking. No they are not professionals, they are young boys without education, well a little bit of education and little intelligence, and that’s the problem. The problem is that you guys thought huh, that they would understand that, no they don’t understand. This is very difficult rational thinking for them, they wouldn’t understand

I like Roland. He's a wonderful man and I think he is absolutely correct in blaming his customers for everything bad that has happened to Charlton Athletic during his tenure. Katrien was a fine CEO and the various managers have been an unqualified success. If Chris Wilder hadn't been put off by us fans than we would almost certainly be challenging for a place in the Premier League right now.

There you have it.

Just to demonstrate to Roland and his communications team how easy it is to lie.

It must be nice for the players to hear the owner considers them to only have a little intelligence. Our mantra has always been to support the team, not the regime. I think that has always been clear to the players.

From memory it was the November power point meeting that signalled the arrival of Mel Baroni, she started the following February 1st and quit 46 days later.Great communications huh?How did Katrien communicate back to the club from Dubai where she was on holiday as we were relegated?

Funny that one of those young uneducated and unintelligent players, Nick Pope, told me and @Fanny Fanackapan to our faces that it didn't bother the players and if anything it helped as our players knew it was coming but the other team maybe didn't.

But we know that Pope was so terrified when we played Burnley that they signed him as an act of kindness to get away from the horror of plastic pigs.

I haven't heard much about his career since so assume the protests have reduced him to a quivering wreck.

Funny that one of those young uneducated and unintelligent players, Nick Pope, told me and @Fanny Fanackapan to our faces that it didn't bother the players and if anything it helped as our players knew it was coming but the other team maybe didn't.

But we know that Pope was so terrified when we played Burnley that they signed him as an act of kindness to get away from the horror of plastic pigs.

I haven't heard much about his career since so assume the protests have reduced him to a quivering wreck.

Henry, you know full well that this poor young uneducated boy was probably intimidated by you and Fanny into saying what you wanted to hear, only a man with empathy such as Duchatelet knows exactly their feelings.

Deluded Belgian buffoon, he must surely have some acumen to build a business empire and attain such wealth, it can’t be he got lucky and surrounded himself with others who grew his empire for him, therefore only conclusion is he is a twat who tinkered with a football club & created havoc ☹